Controlling device for water-heaters.



H. A. COCHRAN.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR WATER HEATERS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9, I915.

Patented June 13, 1916.

I IE,

IIVI/ENTOR flarr dfac/wwn IIIII IIIIIII WITNESSES II TTORIVEYS WASH HARRY A. COGHRAN, OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, ASSIGNOB. F ONE-HALF T0 FRED A. SCOTT,

0F AUSTIN, TEXAS.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR WATER-HEATERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY A. CooHRAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Austin, in the county of Travis and State of Texas, having invented a new and Improved Controlling Device for Water- Heaters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to water heaters having a gas burner controlled by the flow of the water.

One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved controlling device for water heaters arranged to insure a positive opening and closing of the gas supply valve for the burner whenever the water is turned on or shut off.

Another object is to provide a controlling valve which is exceedingly simple and durable in construction, not liable to get out of order easily and positive in its operation.

In order to accomplish the desired result, use ismade of a water supply valve having a swing gate intermediate the water inlet and the water outlet, and a gas supply valve controlled by the said gate for turning on and shutting off the gas.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of the controlling device as applied, the heater casing being shown in section; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the controlling device; Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view of the same with parts in section; Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section of the same on the line 44 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the same.

The water supply pipe 10 is connected with a water main or other source of water supply and is provided with a manually controlled shut-off valve 11 and a controlling valve 12 connected with the inlet end of a pipe coil 13 arranged within a suitable casing 14. A gasburner (not shown) serves to heat the coil 13 and the water flowing through it, the gas burner being preferably of the construction shown'and described in my application, Serial No. 55,061 filed of even date herewith. The outlet end of the coil 13 is connected with a draw-off faucet (not shown) for drawing off the hot :a swing gate or a wing 18 having a stem 19 journaled at its upper end in a bearing plate 20.held on the top of the casing 15 by a closing cap 21 screwing on the upper end of the casing 15. The lower end of the stem 19 extends through a stuffing box 22 at.

tached to the bottom of the casing 15.

On the lower end of the stem 19 is secured an arm 23 having an opening 24 through which extends loosely the valve stem 25 of a gas controlling valve 26 normally held to its seat 27 by a spring 28 bearing on the valve26 and held within the casing 29 containing the valve 26 and the seat 27. The outer end of the spring 28 bears against a cap 30 forming part of the casing 29. The valve 26 controls the flow of the gas from a gas supply pipe 31 connected with the gas main or other source of gas supply, and the gas outlet pipe 32 leading from the casing 29 supplies the gas to the burner employed for heating the coil 13, as previously mentioned. The casing 29 is provided between the valve 26 and the outlet pipe 32 with a manually controlled shut-off valve 33 which, however, is normally open but is adapted'to be closed to cut ofi the supply of gas to the burner when the controlling device is not in use. The outer end of the valve stem 25 is threaded and on the threaded portion screws a collar 34 abutting against the arm 23 so that when a swinging motion is given to the gate valve 18 in the direction of the arrow at then the arm 23 pushes against the collar 34 to move the valve 26 into open position against the tension of the spring 28 to allow the gas to flow by way of the pipe 31, valve 26 and pipe 32 to the burner at which the gas is ignited by a pilot flame 35 connected with the valve 29 intermediate the valve 26 and the pipe 31 as indicated in Fig. 5. A spring 36 is coiled on the valve stem 25 and bears against the collar 34 to aid the spring 28 in normally holding the valve 26 in a closed position, it being understood that by adjusting the collar 34 on the threaded portion of the valve stem 25 the tension of the spring 36 can be regulated and the position of the collar 34 on the valve stem 25 permits opening of the valve 26 sooner or later relatively to the movement given to the gate valve 18.

The gate valve 18 is provided with a valve seat 37 normally closed by a valve 38 held on the face of the gate valve 18 at the inlet side 16 of the casing 15, as plainly indicated in Fig. 5. The valve 38 is provided with a stem 39 extending through the valve seat 37, and the outer end of the stem 39 is provided with a collar 40 against which presses one end of a spring 11 abutting with its other end on the face of the gate valve 18 at the outlet side of the casing 15. The free end of the valve stem 39 is adapted to abut against a fixed part 42 held within the casing 15 or forming part thereof so that when the gate valve 18 nears an open position, the stem 39 strikes the fixed part 42 so that the valve 39 moves into an open position immediately prior to the gate valve 18 moving into open position at the outlet 17.

When the gate valve 18 is in the position shown in Fig. 5, the valve 26 is in closed position, as shown in Fig. 4. Now when the water is drawn off from the coil 13 by the draw-01f faucet then the pressure of the water passing through the inlet 16 into the casing 15 exerts a pressure against the gate valve 18 to swing the same in the direction of the arrow a The stem 39 finally moves in contact with the fixed part 4-2 so that the valve 38 is opened and water can flow from the inlet end of the casing 15 by way of the seat 37 to the outlet 17 and into the coil 13.

The swinging movement given to the gate valve 18 causes an opening of the valve 26, as previously explained, so that the gas flows to the burner for heating the coil 13,

the; as being ignited by the fiame 0f the pilot 35. When more water is withdrawn from the coil 13 a further movement of the gate valve 18 takes place so that the latter moves into open position to directly connect the inlet 16 with the outlet 17 to allow a large amount of water to flow through the coil 13 for replenishing the latter, that is, keeping the coil full of water. As soon as the draw-off faucet is closed the valve 26 is returned to closed position by the action of the spring 28 aided by the spring 36 so that the stem 19 is turned in the reverse direction and the gate valve 18 returns to normal position, allowing the valve 38 to close by the action of its spring 41. From the foregoing it will be seen that the gate valve 18 freely oscillates in the casing 15 according to the pressure exerted against it by the water and hence the gate valve is not liable to stick, thus insuring at all times a proper working of the gate valve as well as the gas supply valve 26. The gate valve 18 is preferably provided with a suitable packing 43 to prevent leakage of the water between the valve and the inner surface of the casing.

It will be noticed that the gas is shut off whenever the draw-off faucet is closed and hence the gas does not remain burning after the faucet is closed, and the water is cut ofi from the coil 13. By using the valve 38 the water is permitted to pass through the gate valve 18 prior to the latter reaching an opening position and hence the gate valve is free to travel perfectlysmooth without danger or jerk, thereby avoiding an undesirable hammering.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A controlling device for water heaters, comprising a water supply valve having a swing gate between its inlet and outlet, a normally closed spring-pressed valve on the said gate and adapted to open on the gate swinging toward opening position, a springpressed gas supply valve having a stem, a collar adjustable on the said valve stem, a spring pressing the said collar, and an arm on the stem of the said swing gate and engaging the said collar.

2. In a controlling device for water heat ers, a water supply valve having a swing gate intermediate the water inlet and water outlet, an apertured arm on the stem of the swing gate, aspring pressed gassupply valve having a stem extending loosely through the aperture of the said arm, a portion of the stem being threaded, a collar on the threaded portion of the valve stem, and a spring on the valve stem and engaging the collar.

3. In a controlling device for water heaters, a casing having a water inlet and a water outlet, a swing gate valve in the casing, an apertured arm secured to the stem of the valve outside of the casing, a casing having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, a spring pressed valve in the casing, a stem projecting from the valve on the side opposite that which it is engaged by its spring and extending out through the casing and passing loosely through the aperture of said arm, a collar adjustably mounted on the said stem and engaging the said arm, and a spring on the stem between the collar and the casing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY A. COCI-IRAN.

Witnesses:

H. M. LITTLE, C. B. BONNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

